An Introduction to Effective Music Teaching: Artistry and Attitude provides the prospective teacher with front-line tested strategies and approaches that are based on current research and the author's three decades of service as a public school music educator, department chairman, and public school district music administrator. Starting with a brief overview of the history of music education in public schools, Alfred Townsend gives the reader a deeper understanding of the importance of music education to all students, gifted or not. Readers then examine artistry (command of content and mastery of methods) and the ABCs of teacher attitude, the critical component that unlocks learning for many students. With an open and accessible writing style, Dr. Townsend reviews the six components of effective teaching, showing that artistry and attitude can be combined to fuel student learning and teacher leadership. Using all of this information, the reader constructs a personal, practical philosophy of music teaching and learning that will form the basis for his or her instruction. Readers will also experience artistry and attitude in action through well written case studies of effective teachers. With increasingly diverse student populations teachers now face, this book provides music teachers with ways to interact effectively with students of all backgrounds, attitudes, and talent.

Lang Lang Piano Academy: mastering the piano level 5 (approximately equivalent to Grade 5/Intermediate) includes sections on legato pedalling, phrasing and rubato and new accompaniment styles. Units: Developing dexterity Instinctive pedalling Refining the touch Phrasing and rubato Character Ornamentation Interpretation and style Performing Mastering the piano is the first series of books to be launched in the Lang Lang Piano Academy. Comprising five progressive books, mastering the piano captures Lang Lang's passion, drive and extraordinary mastery of the piano. Each book gives students the chance to learn from this exceptional talent, with: 8 units that develop key aspects of piano technique; specially devised exercises & studies; a diverse selection of repertoire including Lang Lang's favourite works; and inspirational commentary & guidance from Lang Lang himself. Mastering the piano is also available as an iPad App! Listen to Lang Lang perform Prelude in C by J. S. Bach Download FREE Scales & Arpeggios Chart for Level 5

Although the music of Spain is diverse, profound, colorful and deserving of recognition, a collection of nineteenth century Spanish songs has never been available to singers in the United States. Until now, Spain has been neglected in the study of music history. Collections of zarzuela arias have been published, but art song composed prior to Turina, Granados, Obradors, de Falla, and Rodrigo have remained in the archives of Spanish libraries. This fascinating anthology, a collection of 23 songs composed by a variety of Spanish composers born in the nineteenth century, provides an exciting opportunity to explore the gems of Spanish vocal repertoire. Songs have been selected by virtue of the quality of the poetry, the artistry of the song setting, the beauty of the melody, the variety of the accompaniment, and those with an indigenous flavor. This repertoire is fresh, exciting, and unique, utilizing lovely Spanish rhythms, harmonies and poetry. Available both in high and low voice editions. Contains: Word-for-word translations and Idiomatic translations, Brief biographies of the composers, International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcriptions of the texts, A concise guide to the pronunciation of Castilian Spanish.

The practices of singing and teaching singing are inextricable, joined to each other through the necessity of understanding the vocal art and craft. Just as singers must understand the physical functions of voice in order to become musically proficient and artistically mature, teachers too need to have a similar mastery of these ideas - and the ability to explain them to their students - in order to effectively guide their musical and artistic growth. With this singer-instructor relationship in mind, Richard and Ann Alderson's A New Handbook for Singers and Teachers presents a fresh, detailed guide about how to sing and how to teach singing. It systematically explores all aspects of the vocal technique - respiration, phonation, resonance, and articulation - with each chapter containing exercises aimed at applying and teaching these principles. Beyond basic vocal anatomy and singing fundamentals, the handbook also covers such understudied topics as the young voice, the changing voice, and the aging voice, along with helpful chapters for teachers about how to organize vocal lessons and training plans. Thoughtfully and comprehensively crafted by two authors with decades of singing and teaching experience between them, A New Handbook for Singers and Teachers will prove an invaluable resource for singers and teachers at all stages of their vocal and pedagogical careers.

(Instructional). The Hal Leonard Bagpipe Method is designed for anyone just learning to play the Great Highland bagpipes. This comprehensive and easy-to-use beginner's guide serves as an introduction to the bagpipe chanter. The accompanying DVD includes video lessons with demonstrations of all the examples in the book Lessons include: the practice chanter, the Great Highland Bagpipe scale, bagpipe notation, proper technique, grace-noting, embellishments, playing and practice tips, traditional tunes, buying a bagpipe, and much more

In the course of a decades-spanning career as a filmmaker, Terrence Malick has carved out a distinctive cinematic aesthetic. Central to this style is the use of sound. James Wierzbicki offers the first comprehensive study of Malick's soundtracks, arguing that they create a distinctive sonic style throughout his oeuvre and exploring how that style functions. Considering voice, noise, and music as elements in the soundtrack, this concise book enriches our understanding of one of our most philosophical filmmakers, and of the interplay between the sonic and visual elements in film.

While there are many similarities between solo and choral singing, they are not the same discipline, and it is important to realize the different approaches necessary for each. In The Solo Singer in the Choral Setting: A Handbook for Achieving Vocal Health, Olson presents the unique perspective of choral singing from a soloist's viewpoint, providing a clear outline of several issues facing the solo singer in the choral setting. She discusses concepts as diverse as body position in rehearsal and acoustic sound production, and she offers practical ideas for solving these challenges. Teaching examples and case studies help illustrate the problems and offer potential solutions for handling the challenges of the choral environment. After a general overview of vocal technique, the chapters address the physiological, psychological, pedagogical, acoustic, and interpretive issues facing the solo singer in the choral setting. Concepts, such as phonation; resonation and timbre; approaches to diction; voice classification; choral blend; interpreting emotion; relationships among choral conductor, singer, and teacher of singing; and the use of vibrato are examined in detail. Concluding with a conversation with two choral conductors, as well as a glossary, bibliography, and index, this volume is beneficial to singers, teachers, and conductors alike.

This book provides both preservice and seasoned music educators with a unique and powerful way of teaching. The premise of the book is to offer a pedagogical approach that emphasizes focus on conceptual learning that is sensory oriented. From the musical concepts we teach_melody, harmony, rhythm, and form_the teacher targets one concept per lesson (e.g., melody), and provides learning experiences in singing, listening, performing, moving, reading/writing, and improvising/composing that are all focused on only that concept. Essentially, the learners are bombarded visually, aurally, and kinesthetically, gaining a firm grasp of the concept because they have heard, sung, moved, performed, written, and created in that class, all in small time segments. The teacher has a greater ability to reach all students' learning needs and engage them in active learning in each class. The book not only offers background information about the learning process, but also specific lesson templates that serve as conceptual models for music classes.

This book provides both preservice and seasoned music educators with a unique and powerful way of teaching. The premise of the book is to offer a pedagogical approach that emphasizes focus on conceptual learning that is sensory oriented. From the musical concepts we teach_melody, harmony, rhythm, and form_the teacher targets one concept per lesson (e.g., melody), and provides learning experiences in singing, listening, performing, moving, reading/writing, and improvising/composing that are all focused on only that concept. Essentially, the learners are bombarded visually, aurally, and kinesthetically, gaining a firm grasp of the concept because they have heard, sung, moved, performed, written, and created in that class, all in small time segments. The teacher has a greater ability to reach all students' learning needs and engage them in active learning in each class. The book not only offers background information about the learning process, but also specific lesson templates that serve as conceptual models for music classes.

This full size book, CD & DVD pack is an easy and informative introduction to playing the Electric Bass. The emphasis is on making music right from the start. Includes all the essential techniques and music fundamentals as they apply to Bass Playing. Both theCD & DVD match the lessons and exercises in the book.

As we listen and move to music, sing, compose, and play, we engage in musical experiences. These happen in formal learning settings, such as schools and rehearsal halls, but also in informal settings, such as homes and community centers. Musical experiences are fundamentally social and can teach us about ourselves and our relationship to others. This book explores some of the many ways we experience music and create musical meaning from infancy through older adulthood. While vignettes, narratives, and cases form the primary focus of each chapter, the contributors of the book use extant research and theory to deepen understanding of a particular phenomenon, idea, or experience. Chapters are written by leading experts who examine music teaching and learning. They employ various qualitative research methodologies, including case study, narrative inquiry, oral history, and ethnography, yet their contributions are readable, engaging, and refreshingly insightful.

This second edition of TIPS: The Child Voice was prepared in response to demand for an updated and expanded version of the highly successful 1997 edition. This edition takes into account the broadening base of information regarding the nature of the singing voice. Now with strategies for the voice in transition during early adolescence, as well as strategies, games and activities to nurture the voice in early childhood, you'll find more suggestions for selecting materials and more recommended sources and resources. Also new are sample materials and activities, but you'll still find TIPS to use in student portfolios. These ideas, culled from scholars and experienced teachers, should prove useful to not only music educators, but also early childhood specialists, middle school teachers, and everyone working with students during those critical times of development of our natural instrument . . . the singing voice.

Finding the right rhyme can be excruciating, songwriters too often choosing ridiculous words in desperation. This is an invaluable resource for any budding songwriter or even an experienced lyricist with writer's block. Featuring tips on songwriting, the book focuses on the types of rhyme and assonance (end rhymes, last syllable rhymes, double rhymes, beginning rhymes, first syllable rhymes) for a range of popular styles. Arranged phonetically and drawn from a variety of musical 'dialects', from rock and pop to folk and hip-hop, this is the quick and simple guide you need.

In Conversations with Joseph Flummerfelt: Thoughts on Conducting, Music, and Musicians, Donald Nally presents a window into the mind and heart of one of America's most celebrated and distinguished choral conductors. Through questions from Nally, his former student, Flummerfelt provides a captivating narrative tracing his formative years and influences, his most important artistic collaborations, and his approach to conducting and music. The conversation further develops into a philosophical discussion on cultural influences and obstacles in art, how one teaches conducting, and the foundations of ensemble music-making. Through these intimate conversations, Flummerfelt reveals his life, art, and ideas, from his close collaborations with some of the world's greatest orchestral conductors to his work as Artistic Director of Westminster Choir College. The topics range from his approaches to style, conducting gesture, sound generation, and choral sound to the psychology of music-making and the contemporary environment of art-making. Nally's interview style captures the energy and rhythm of Flummerfelt's speech so that the conductor's "voice" and passion is easily perceived, and the material is presented as a highly organized yet spontaneous and free conversation. Flummerfelt discusses his early career influences from such musicians as Robert Shaw and Nadia Boulanger and reveals his thoughts on composers like Igor Stravinsky, Samuel Barber, Benjamin Britten, and Olivier Messiaen. The more than 30 photos present a visual record of Flummerfelt's collaborations with many of the great musicians of our time, and a biographical timeline, a list of collaborating orchestras and conductors, and a discography are also included.

Providing essential tools to transform college piano students into professional piano teachers, Courtney Crappell's Teaching Piano Pedagogy helps teachers develop pedagogy course curricula, design and facilitate practicum-teaching experiences, and guide research projects in piano pedagogy. The book grounds the reader in the history of the domain, investigates course materials, and explores unique methods to introduce students to course concepts and help them put those concepts into practice. To facilitate easy integration into the curriculum, Crappell provides example classroom exercises and assignments throughout the text, which are designed to help students understand and practice the related topics and skills. Teaching Piano Pedagogy is not simply a book about teaching piano-it is a book about how piano students learn to teach.

Collaborative Action for Change presents new directions in the preparation and lifelong professional development of music educators. The book's chapters are based on some of the most effective presentations from the 2007 Symposium on Music Teacher Education. The Symposium focused on examples of successful partnerships and collaborations between music teacher educators, classroom teachers, school and district administrators, and other individuals and organizations. Two invited keynote addresses, given by Marilyn Cochran-Smith (Boston College) and Don Gibson (Florida State University), raise important questions for music teacher educators to consider in shaping and assessing preservice teachers' learning experiences and curricula. Three chapters encourage expansion of college curricula to facilitate genuine interaction among preservice teachers, teacher educators, and the musics and cultures of their own and their students' worlds. Beginning teachers' socialization and skill development is explored by three authors. Examples of two effective university-school partnerships, as well as a collaborative effort among university faculty, discuss the challenges and rewards encountered in pursuing such cooperative ventures. Also included are descriptions of two different mentoring programs for novice and experienced music teachers, and suggestions for better preparing future music teacher educators. Together, the book's authors present concrete visions of music educators engaged in music teaching and learning, growing from discussions in classes, over coffee, and/or (often tedious) meetings, and taking individual and collective action for change in music teacher education.

Collaborative Action for Change presents new directions in the preparation and lifelong professional development of music educators. The book's chapters are based on some of the most effective presentations from the 2007 Symposium on Music Teacher Education. The Symposium focused on examples of successful partnerships and collaborations between music teacher educators, classroom teachers, school and district administrators, and other individuals and organizations. Two invited keynote addresses, given by Marilyn Cochran-Smith (Boston College) and Don Gibson (Florida State University), raise important questions for music teacher educators to consider in shaping and assessing preservice teachers' learning experiences and curricula. Three chapters encourage expansion of college curricula to facilitate genuine interaction among preservice teachers, teacher educators, and the musics and cultures of their own and their students' worlds. Beginning teachers' socialization and skill development is explored by three authors. Examples of two effective university-school partnerships, as well as a collaborative effort among university faculty, discuss the challenges and rewards encountered in pursuing such cooperative ventures. Also included are descriptions of two different mentoring programs for novice and experienced music teachers, and suggestions for better preparing future music teacher educators. Together, the book's authors present concrete visions of music educators engaged in music teaching and learning, growing from discussions in classes, over coffee, and/or (often tedious) meetings, and taking individual and collective action for change in music teacher education.

Cabaret performances are often known for bringing alive the Great American Songbook from the 1920s through the 1950s for contemporary audiences. But modern-day cabaret does much more than preserve the past-it also promotes and fosters the new generation of American composers and creates a uniquely vibrant musical and theatrical experience for its audiences. So You Want to Sing Cabaret is the first book of its kind to examine in detail the unique vocal and nonvocal requirements for professional performance within the exciting genre of cabaret. With a foreword by cabaret legend Lorna Luft, So You Want to Sing Cabaret includes interviews from the top professionals in the cabaret industry, including Michael Feinstein, Ann Hampton Callaway, Roy Sander, Sidney Myer, Jeff Harner and many others. There are also chapters devoted to crafting your show, lyric connection, "do-it-yourself" production and promotion, and working with your musical team. David Sabella and Sue Matsuki have crafted the perfect one-volume resource for both the aspiring cabaret singer and the singing teacher who seeks to learn more about this unique art form. The So You Want to Sing series is produced in partnership with the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Like all books in the series, So You Want to Sing World Music features online supplemental material on the NATS website. Please visit www.nats.org to access style-specific exercises, audio and video files, and additional resources.

The Must-Have Guide for Songwriters

"Writing Better Lyrics" has been a staple for songwriters for nearly two decades. Now this revised and updated 2nd Edition provides effective tools for everything from generating ideas, to understanding the form and function of a song, to fine-tuning lyrics.

Perfect for new and experienced songwriters alike, this time-tested classic covers the basics in addition to more advanced techniques.Songwriters will discover:

• How to use sense-bound imagery to enhance a song's emotional impact on listeners
• Techniques for avoiding cliches and creating imaginative metaphors and similes
• Ways to use repetition as an asset
• How to successfully manipulate meter
• Instruction for matching lyrics with music
• Ways to build on ideas and generate effective titles
• Advice for working with a co-writer
• And much more

Featuring updated and expanded chapters, 50 fun songwriting exercises, and examples from more than 20 chart-toppings songs, "Writing Better Lyrics" gives you all of the professional and creative insight you need to write powerful lyrics and put your songs in the spotlight where they belong.

Keyboard artists in the time of J.S. Bach were simultaneously performers, composers, and improvisers. By the twentieth century, however, the art of improvisation was all but lost. Today, vanishingly few classically-trained musicians can improvise with fluent, stylistic integrity. Many now question the system of training that leaves players dependent upon the printed page, and would welcome a new approach to musicianship that would enable modern performers to recapture the remarkable creative freedom of a bygone era. The Pianist's Guide to Historic Improvisation opens a pathway of musical discovery as the reader learns to improvise with confidence and joy. Useful as either a college-level textbook or a guide for independent study, the book is eminently practical. Author John Mortensen explains even the most complex ideas in a lucid, conversational tone, accompanied by hundreds of musical examples. Mortensen pairs every concept with hands-on exercises for step-by-step practice of each skill. Professional-level virtuosity is not required; players of moderate skill can manage the material. Suitable for professionals, conservatory students, and avid amateurs, The Pianist's Guide leads to mastery of improvisational techniques at the Baroque keyboard.

Whether you're new to working with middle school choirs or seeking advice on improving your effectiveness, you'll appreciate the useful hands-on strategies in The First Weeks of Middle School Chorus. Implement Freer's specific, ready-to-use tips immediately in your rehearsals. He reminds you of things you've forgotten, prompts you to reframe what you already do, and encourages you to try new approaches. Organized in lists for easy reference, the book takes you through the first weeks of school and covers setting up your classroom, choral activities for day one and beyond, repertoire for the first weeks, warm-ups for changing voices, rehearsal strategies, placing students into groups and voice parts, and resources. Readers who find TIPS: The First Weeks of Middle School Chorus helpful may want to consult Freer's Getting Started with Middle School Chorus, Second Edition for more detailed information about the tips, strategies, and techniques found in this practical guide.

Consider the status of music education as you read Music Education at a Crossroads, a collection of addresses from the Centennial Congress of MENC: The National Association for Music Education. Noted leaders in music education including Paul Lehman, Bennett Reimer, Samuel Hope, and Michael Mark joined Brenda Welburn and Anne Bryant in addressing the challenges and opportunities faced by music educators today. The Centennial Congress renewed a shared professional commitment to a comprehensive music education for all students and discussed the impediments to the vision of the Centennial Declaration: "It is the right of every child to receive a balanced, comprehensive, sequential music education taught by qualified music teachers."

Noted music educator Bennett Reimer has selected 24 of his previously published articles from a variety of professional journals spanning the past 50 years. During that time, he's tackled: -generating core values for the field of music education; -the core in larger societal and educational contexts; -what to teach and how to teach it effectively; -how we need to educate our teachers; -the role of research in our profession; and -how to improve our future status. Reimer precedes each essay with background reflections and his position, both professional and personal, on effectively addressing the issue at hand. The opening "Letter to the Reader" presents a valuable overview based on his deeply grounded viewpoint. The entire music education profession will benefit from Reimer's perspective on past, present, and future concerns central to the functioning of music education in Seeking the Significance of Music Education: Essays and Reflections.

(Reference). Born from eight years of teaching songwriting for the Academy of Gospel Music Arts, Robert Sterling's The Craft of Christian Songwriting deftly tackles the much-overlooked subject of craft in the Christian songwriter's creative process. The book challenges its readers to aspire to the highest level of excellence, providing chapter after chapter of practical insights into the Christian songwriting experience. All the way from "Getting Started" to "Building a Demo," The Craft of Christian Songwriting shows beginning writers how to make their next song their "best song ever," all from the unique perspective of the Christian songwriter. Practical and realistic, The Craft of Christian Songwriting is a smart read for anyone with aspirations of becoming a Christian songwriter. Highlights: * Hundreds of examples from hit songs * Concise and practical instruction on all the essential elements of the songwriting process * Writing exercises to help you improve your craft * Learn the ins and outs of collaboration * Examine 10 full lyric reprints, complete with the author's analysis * Discover how to produce a proper demo recording

A time-honored tradition just got better! The John W. Schaum Piano Course has been newly revised with 100 percent new engravings and typesetting, color highlighting for concept emphasis, updated song titles and lyrics, and full-color illustrations. This is the Primer level.